1965 Ford Mustang Hardtop Coupe / DAC 433C Chassis Information

Hardtop CoupeChassis #: DAC 433C

In January of 1965, two Mustangs were sent to England to receive the Ferguson Formula One All-Wheel Drive control and ABS brakes. This was the first AWD conversion of a standard production car. Harry Ferguson invented a transmission with four wheel drive for automobiles in the late 1950s. The transmission was tested on a prototype, and in 1960, a Formula One race car. The car proved successful with driver Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel.

In 1959, Harry Ferguson passed away but Harry Ferguson Research Ltd. continued on.

This particular example was registered to Harry Ferguson Research, Ltd. where it remained in the Ferguson Family Collection on the Isle of Wight. In addition to the transmission, it also received anti-lock brakes, which would later be known as ABS. They were an adaptation of the Dunlop Maxaret brakes that were originally designed and used on airplanes.

The car was put through comparative tests to evaluate cornering, braking, acceleration and hill climbing abilities. After the tests, the Ford Motor Company along with Chrysler, General Motors and American Motors all agreed with the benefits of the Ferguson Formula AWD system but concluded that the public would not pay the higher price tag. The additional upgrade package would have cost less than $500 with a production rate of 50,000 per year.

In 1970, Jensen adopted the four wheel drive transmission on the Interceptor and besides few experiments in England with the Ford Zephir or the Ford Capri, nothing else came from the Ferguson transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com)